Steering device for motor-vehicles.



A. S. BURNELL & I, L. LAVENDER. STEERING DEVICE FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I7, 1908. 1

Patented June 29, 1915.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 17, mos. semi'm. 452,295.

To all whom it may concern I Be it known that we, ARTHUR S. Bnnnnm.

and IRA L. LAVENDER, both residents'of Web- 'ster Cit in the county of Hamilton and lowing is a full, clear, and exact descr p- State 0 Iowa, have ixweinedcertain new and useful Improvements in Steering Defor Motor-Vehicles, of which the foltion. I I I The invention relates to steering-mechanism for motor-vehicles. I x

The invention designs to provide an improved steering mechanism for motor-vehicle's which is easy of manipulation and which will, 'nd' to l eep"the vehicle in a true curse; I I I a :In motor-vehicles it Isgnow necessary for the driver to constantlycontrol the steeri -mechanism and'the mechanism for cont oiling the dirigible wheels and the inventil-on providesa steering-mechanism which will respond to a nicetyto the steering wheel, and may be manipulated with little eiiort and will inherently tend to keep the vehicle in a true course While it is being propelled, thus making it possible for the driver to be relieved of the necessity of holding the steering-wheel constantly.'

Furthermore, the invention designs to provide mechanism which causes the vehicle to turn a corner more smoothlv than heretofore. I

The invention consists in the several novel features of construction hereinafter set forth and more particularly defined by claim at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is aside elevation of a vehicle embodying the invention, parts being shown'in section. Fig. 2 is a. plan view of the steering-mechanism. Fig. 3 is aside elevation of the arms on which the stud-axles are mounted and the parts connected thereto. Fig. 4 is a section on line Hofliig.2. y

The motor-vehicle comprises a body a, driving-wheels b, and front steering-sheds a at the opposite sides of the vehicle respectively, which may be of any suitable Icon-u struction, as well understood in the art. I The front axle d s connected to the body of the vehicle, as hereinafter set forth. Te each end of the axle, an arm f is pivoted as at e. The ends of the axle d are bifurcated to receive arms 7. These arms extend rearwardlyfrom the pivots e and each has sedepending from the body of the vehicle.

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cured thereto an ontwardly extending stubaxle g, on which the steering-wheels c are respectively journaled. The rear terminals of the arm f extend inwardly and are, cross connected by a link it which has its ends pivoted as at h to said arms. Pivots e provide plvotal connections for the stub-axles and the dirigible wheels, which permit the wheels to swing laterally in steering the ve-' hicle. The axes of the stub-axlies g and the carrying-wheels mounted thereon, are eccentrio with respect to the pivot e betweenthe arms f and the vehicle-axle d and are dis posed rearwardly of said pivots. The points of I contact between the wheels and the ground are disposed rearwardly and laterso that the steeringoperation will be more.

the wheel axis is laterally alined with the nearly like steering a caster-wheel than if pivot of the steering knuckle as usual, therefore it has been found in practice that the-- entire vehicle may be more easily steered or guided. Furthermore, as the result of this relative disposition of the pivots e and the axes of the wheel's,;there is greater tendency 1 of the wheels to rejmainin their course. To aid the operator in restoring the steer- IIIg-COIIDBCUOIIS to=normal position, and to cause the wheel to travel normally in a straight course, springs 71 are respectively. connected to the ends of arms 7 and to a stud f secured to the body of the vehicle. These springs serve asineans foryieldingly holding. the steering-connections in neutral position and for aiding the driver-inre-' I storing them to such position.

For the purpose of balancing the spring: pressure on the arms 7", so thatin event the steering-connections becomes defective the stub-axles and wheels will be yieldingly held in neutral position, forwardly extending I arms 9', rigid with the arms f, are respeo,

tively tonnected by springs 41. to a stud 7' Besultantly, this pair of springs also; yieldsteering connections loecome defective-the. Wheels will be held iii neutral. position to.

travel in a straight course. I I I While-in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, springs are illusfor yieldingly holding the wheels in foreand-aft line, it will be understood that the springs may be omitted when not desired and that the advantage of the eccen-- trio disposition of the axes of the stub-axles my be. attained Without the use of said springs.

ihe axle c? is connected to the body of the vehicle by means of springs is. These springs are connected to the vehicle-body and are secured to rest on brackets Z which are secured to the axle d, and extend rear,- wardly from the axle 03 so that the weight of the body of the vehicle will be applied rearv-rsrdly of the axle to resist the stresses of the stuh'axles. Being" disposed forwardly of the of the stub-axles, the vehicle-axle d is subjected to torsional stresses and to op pose and neutralize these stresses, the springs are connected to the brackets Z so that the weight of the body will beapplied rearwardly of the axle and thus apply a, countenforee to the aisle. That is to say, the stub-axles, being rearwardly of the vehicle- 'axle, stresses tend to turn the axle forwardly end downwardly and by applylng the weight of the vehicle rearwardly-of the vehicle-axle (Z, the torsional stresses are opposed and overcome. Link 71, is connected to a steer-' inp;-wheel m by shaft it, an armi'o and a link p, as usual in steering-devices of this class.'

It will he observed that pivots it between rods 32 and the steering arms are dis posed inwardly of pivots c to cause the ivhcels to be differentially moved in turning the corner. lonexemple, if rod 72, 1s Shlfted' wheelmto operate iinkfi whichwill cause I the steering-connections to be operated so that the pivot e at one side will be shifted forwardly and laterally with respect to the point of contact between the wheel and the ground at the same side of the vehicle whfle the pivot at the other side will be shifted rearwarrlly and laterally. In practice it has been'found that this construction of steering-device may be more easily operated, and has a tendency to cause the vehicle to remain in' its true course. The springs for holding and restoring the steering-connections to normal position make. it possible for the driver to easily restore the steeringswheels to normal position. i

The invention is not to be understoodfas restricted to the details set forth, since tliese may be modified within the scope of thank) pended claim without departing from the: spirit and scope of the invention. I '65 Having thus described the invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

In a vehicle, the combination of wheels at opposite sides of the vehicle, an axle connected to the vehicle, provided with terminals adjacent the wheels, abody mounted on;

arm to which it is connected and the axisof the axle, said arms having their rear ends extended inwardly of the pivots between the arms and the axle, and'aco11tro1lingdevice mounted on the vehiclefor shifting .both' of said-arms to swing the vehicldwheels.

. ARTHUR S. BURNELL. IRA L. LAVENDER.- -'Witnessesi;. 'fl' HARRY O. CUTLER,

E. MASON. 

